Visa agent

hello i'm an agent but i am in jakarta !!!

Go to immigration and ask around.
There's usually a bunch of them hanging there. If you ask at the reception desk, they'll be most likely to suggest their friends and that commonly means a smooth path for the paperwork.

Thank you Rechter, but it is a little long way to go :-)

Terima kasih Mas Fred, that sounds like a good idea!

Competent visa agents can be a great way to go for those of us who think of time as money. 

The reality is that most all Indonesian immigration offices have gotten “their act together” in recent years, and there is less need these days to use agents as there was in past days.  What this means is that these days it is far easier (although still time consuming) to directly deal with immigration authorities.

As a direct result of this “more friendly immigration environment” many agents have had to increase their fees as business wanes in the wake of the “new” and more “friendly” immigration office environment.

Certain visas require local sponsorship, and that alone can often be the singular best reason to use a licensed visa agent…as they will sponsor such visas.

Bottom line advice from me is pretty simple.  Get the price from the immigration office you are dealing with for the visa services you seek, (and they should be posted), and then consider if using an agent, with her or his fees make sense for you.

Thank you very much Ubudian! That sounds very clever, and yes, I will look for a social visa further on which needs a sponsor, but I have friends who could be that as well, but we'll see.

Anna, don’t even think about a social cultural visa anymore.

There is no need for you to go that route as all 60 day visit visas are the same, visit, or sosbud (as they are often called here). 

Of course you must already know that you cannot apply for any visa aside from residency visas, aka, KITAS here in Indonesia, but rather, you must apply for the 60 day visa at any Indonesian embassy and most Indonesian Consulates world wide.

Sosbud 60 days visas do require an Indonesian sponsor at the time of application.  A 60 day visit visa does not require a sponsor at application, but if you renew the visa for up to the four times and 30 days each renewal, you will eventually be asked for a local sponsor.

Not knowing the particulars of your situation, (and not wanting to know) if your plans are to live in the Medan area, then you are best off seeking a KITAS or temporary residence permit which is often mistakenly called a visa, which it isn’t.  For that, and unless you have an Indonesian spouse, you will need a sponsor, and your best bet would be what Pak Fred suggested earlier…his tips to find a good visa agent in that area.

Hi again Ubudian,
so what you are saying is that if I apply for a 60 day visit visa here in Sweden before I leave (I will not arrive in Medan until 30th of September) I can get a sponsor later while in Sumatra and extend it four times in the same way as with sosbud? Whitout having to leave the country? That would make things much easier for me. I thought otherwise to get my 30 days on arrival, and then extend for another 30 days which I believe I can do. Then leave after 60 days for Kuala Lumpur and arrange my sosbud visa. It would be great to not have to leave after such short time as I like to stay long term. Yes, I will look into regulations for Kitas later on, but I thought better I talk to an agent on that one and it is not urgent. First I want to know that I really find a place where I will live long term. By they way, I have lived in Ubud, or a bit outside,Penestananan, a couple of years ago, and that is when I had this sosbud visa.

Ubudian is right about imigrassi.
They used to be a corrupt lot but that just hasn't been my experience lately.
The last few years has seen a total change.
You walk into a helpful place with prices on the walls and no attempt to secure bribes.
I'm impressed.

“so what you are saying is that if I apply for a 60 day visit visa here in Sweden before I leave (I will not arrive in Medan until 30th of September) I can get a sponsor later while in Sumatra and extend it four times in the same way as with sosbud? Whitout having to leave the country?”

That’s correct.  It can make your total stay in Indonesia 180 days without having to leave country. 

“I thought otherwise to get my 30 days on arrival, and then extend for another 30 days which I believe I can do.”

That’s also correct.

“By they way, I have lived in Ubud, or a bit outside,Penestananan, a couple of years ago, and that is when I had this sosbud visa.”

This change in Indonesian visas, viz the sosbud and visit visa being sama sama is relatively new…a few years or so.

Mas Fred - that was nice to hear, I have experienced some tricky things earlier on :-)

Thank you so much Ubudian! Then I will do that, so much easier. I am very grateful for your wonderful help!

When looking at the application form I get a bit confused...is my 60 day tourist visa a VISA KUNJUNGAN SATU KALI PERJALANAN – SINGLE VISIT VISA or a VISA TINGGAL TERBATAS – LIMITED STAY VISA?

Just to be safe, I'd call the Indonesian embassy in Sweden and ask them which term is most appropriate for you.  Tell them that you are after a 60 day renewable index B211 (non social) visa.

You are lovely! That is a good idea, thanks.

Errhhmm...may I ask you, who should "visa agent" be? I think I've never heard about such a profession. That is some guy, that helps you to fill in all papers and who tells you where to go and what to say there, to get the visa, or what?

Dworza - in Indonesia that is very common (for instance in Bali), as it is a bit tricky and time consuming, at least a few years ago, to get the extensions for your visa (if you have this 60 days one which you can extend four times), so instead of having to go to the immigration office and leave your passport and go back again a few days later to pick up your passport, and having to do this process each month! I just left my passport with an agent and they just fixed it all for a fee and I didn't have to bother.

Dworza, NatureAnna is correct. Indonesia has a history and I guess a liking to complicated administration to most things and so something that be done in a couple of hours in the west or via the post has to be done in person in crowded and noisy offices filling out far too many pieces of paper and paying for each part of the process. This is being changed and is getting better but it is a slow process.
Visas, licences, credit cards, bank accounts, can take an expat lots of time money and patience to complete and it is the same for Indonesians. If I want to renew my motorbike riding licence, it will cost me 75,000 idr or something close, yet can take 4 hours to do due to waiting times and the process. So to speed it up I use someone to act on my behalf (an agent) who does everything for me and it takes 35 minutes but the cost is high.
Up to 2010 the only accepted visa on arrival was USD in brand new condition nothing else (other than rupiah and then no change if you did not have the exact amount) was accepted now you can pay with limited currencies for this stamp.
Its accepted practice here for most things and hopefully soon these things will end.

But it works for me so I don't complain too much....

And to what has already been so eloquently “said” I would add one more use for a licensed visa agent, and that is the role of sponsorship which is required for several visas such as the social/cultural visa, the retirement visa (a type of KITAS), non working KITAS, and KITAP (residency permits).   

For foreigners not married to Indonesian spouses, this role of sponsorship is a necessity and it is far better to use a professional and licensed agent as a sponsor than a local Indonesian friend or acquaintance.

Thank you very much again Ubudian! You are excellent. This is really a good advice for me, as this will be a suitable option for further on.

Glad to be of help, and enjoy your stay in Medan!

Cheers!  Roy

[Moderated : wrong language ]

Hello,

May I ask if you know the price to extend that visa ? I mean the price at immigrasi and the average price given by a licensed agent (who act like a sponsor) ?

Sorry to post here but it's quite hard to find the right price. I've heard about 750000rp...

Thanks

You may check here http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/ … or-visitor or send email directly.

Thanks for your reply.

I talk about the B 211 visa which allow me to stay 60 days and extend 4 times.

So I would like to know the price for each extension ?

Ubudian said that for this extension we can find an agency who will act as a sponsor (I would like to know the fair price for their service). If I well understood..


PS: I ask this because the two last times I've been in Bali I extended 3 times a 30 days VOA visa. And the two last extension they charged me too much I think.

How much did they charge you ?

They charged you so much because you can not legally extend a VoA 3 times. The VoA can be extended 1 time for another 30 days.

About the right Visa for your visit purpose and official fee for a Visa extension you may check with the Indonesian Embassy nearest to you.

Just a few additional comments.

As Tom says, a VOA can only be renewed once here in Indonesia and then you must leave the country. 

A B-211 60 day visit visa which is renewable here for up to four times, each time good for an additional 30 days is best renewed using an agent.  If you want to know the cost for those renewals, Google, PT Bali Ide and either e-mail them or call them. 

During the renewal periods of a B-211 visa, when it is assumed that you will be taking three or four of the available extensions, it is normal practice for the visa agent (a good one like PT Bali Ide) to retain your passport.  You can travel freely within Indonesia with photo copies of your passport and the receipt for your passport that your visa agent will provide.  This will save you a whole of time running back and forth to your agent, as well as immigration and normally your only trip to immigration during the renewal process will be when they call you in for fingerprinting.

Ok, Thanks to both of you

I was just wondering the extension fee so I contacted PT Bali ide. Directly to the immagration office I've heard that's around 300000rp for each extension but I'm ready to pay a bit more if it allow me to save time

A couple of points based on your last post.

The time saved by using an agent can be considerable.  Just three weeks ago (a very slow tourist time in Bali by comparison to other times) a visiting friend spent four hours at immigration just to renew his 30 day VOA for another 30 days.   Extending longer stay visas is generally more involved than a VOA.  It all depends on how one values their time, or, as Ben Franklin was fond of saying…“penny wise, pound foolish.”     

Secondly, there is a sort of “unwritten code” that many expats on Bali live by…this being based on the idea that the fewer “personal appearances” at immigration…the better.  Moreover, there is a certain amount of belief that an expat, or long stay tourist, who is represented by a “first class” agent has already been “vetted” to some degree.  After all, visa agents have some “accountability” with immigration too, and there is a kind of hierarchy of visa agents on Bali…that is for certain. 

Can you get me a calling visa?

No

8844- please- listen to the advice coming your way as it's solid and up to date. I do hold an IMTA (work permit sponsored by employer) for Freeport and a family KITAS as I'm married to an Indonesian wife. The threads here are direct - so please- the only place you will go is into custody if you shortcut the process. As expats from different walks of life we do understand your frustration however it's important to review the regulations carefully and apply that knowledge in the proper way. I've used this forum to  get advice and I'm happy to say it's 100% spot on. Dress well at immigrasi and smile lots- even when the going gets tough 👍🏻 We are on your side and always happy to assist in a legal, sustainable and ethically proper way. Before you ask- no I can't sponsor you either.

Hi .
In regards to Supadaves comment "Dress well at immigrasi and smile lots- even when the going gets tough "
What is meant by if the going gets tough ?
Sounds like an interrogation process !
Could you or anyone else expand on that or their experiences please.
I'm wanting to get the 60 day renewable index B211 (non social) visa after I arrive.Is it quite intensive and thorough investigation of my personal history and intentions ,character etc?
Thanks in advance.

Most visa holders have little or no trouble when they get to border control.
If you intend to apply after you arrive, I suppose you'll turn up on a 30 day free VOA, something that usually just gets you a wave through at the immigration desk unless the officer thinks you're up to something.

This may be of help

http://www.imigrasi.go.id/index.php/en/ … visit-visa

or there's a poster here that starts a lot of immigration threads, and I gather he's a visa agent.
No idea if he's any good, but a shout out won't hurt.

It is easy to process calling visa ,or visa like b211,d212,kitas 317,kitas 312,kitas 319 etc.as long you have the complete requirements and your nationality is not on listed what we so called red flag,if you will be needing more advise or queries regarding visa,do so.cheers!